The impact of no fault found on through‐life engineering services

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a platform for discussion on the problem of no fault found (NFF) events which continues to plague maintenance operations of complex engineering systems. Design/methodology/approach The research has been collated from many sources: academic literature, industrial discussions and the authors’ experiences. The study defines the NFF problem, its causes, impacts and costs as well as an evaluation of the available scientific research. Findings The paper identifies a continuing serious problem with NFF; it is not just a technical problem but also encompasses organisations, culture and behaviours. Focusing only on one of these at a time is no longer enough to solve the NFF problem in modern maintenance operations and solutions will require each category to be addressed as an integrated problem. Originality/value The overall value is a detailed picture of the NFF field seen from both an industrial and academic viewpoint. The originality of the paper is that it articulates and organizes the existing knowledge concerning the NFF phenomena, the value of which is to identify gaps in existing research and knowledge.